Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-13
AmAD-CAP MARRIAGE.
How . GOveFaeP's Daughter was %.
vOPeed by the LegiaIature.


A Harrisburg letter in the Philadel-
phia Record says
One Of the Legislative committees
yesterday, in delving among the ar
| chives OF the House OF Representatives
after traces Of an old committee report.
came across = document which pos
seSses a romantic interest and recalls a
| somewhat exciting incident of social
life at the State Capital in 1885, which
never got into print, and was known
/ TO but n limited circle at the time
/ The document is the original of House
bill No. OF the legislative session Of
I 1896 the introduction Of which at the
first session at which the House was
fully organized was the first act in the
legislative career Of Matthew $. Quay
now State Treasurer and United States
Senator elect. 1t was a bill 10 divorce
Mary Wilson Mcconnell from her hus-
band, Henry LLOYD Mcconnell. Mrs.
Mcconnell was the Young and hand
some daughter Of the then Governor
Curtin, and thereby hangs the ro-
efforts Of Mr.. Quay and Senator Low
~, OF the Crawford district. this d.
yorce bill, without going to committee.
4
in less than two hours This was Jan.
10. 1885. Mr.. Quay, whose fine hand
was seen in the railroading of the
Philadelphia Magistrates bill through,
some weeks ago. had evidently begun
20 get onto the rapid legislative meth
DDS very soon in his political career.
Miss Mary Wilson Curtin had Just
budded into her teens when her father
IL - 90
and was q schoolgirl when she came 20
Harrisburg 20 live at the Executive
Mansion. She was sprightly, good
nAtured. and had charming manners.
BY 1855 she had grown to be one OF the
hsndsomest and most entertaining and
most sought after of all the buds in
society here and in Philadelphia, where
she was well known and Is still remem-
bered as q belle One evening, at an
entertainment az the Governor man
sion, she met young Captain Henry
Lloyd Mcconnell, a dashing officer OF
the army. who was taken III during
the reception and was kindly taken
care Of by the Governors family. This
led to frequent meetings between Miss
Curtin and Young Mcconnell, who was
a fine-lOoking fellow, but Of no partic-
NAAE NtHt' HhA NNAAANr anu HhlAA llAA nave
been listened to by the Governor as a
sutton for the hand Of his daughter.
Cupid and the Captains shoulder
straps played havoc with the young
lady's heart. The result was that one
afternoon q pair Of timid lovers APP
peared in the office of old Squire
Mclaughlin and asked to be married.
The Young lady was yelled. The Jus
-. - b. Nha
Governors daughter. whom he knew
by sight as one Of the pretty girls OF
the town. He readily agreed 20 per
form the ceremony. His little nephew,
who was present, witnessed the mar
rage certificate The Young lady gave
her name as Miss Mary Wilson Curtin,
with strong accent upon the last syl-
liable. The old Squire and his nephew
are both dead. but there Is stu living
witness % this ceremony in Harris
burg-Wm. Mclaughlin, the Justices
son, who was home from the war on
a furlough. and happened 20 be in the
Office at the time Capt. Mcconnell,
said Mr.. Mclaughlin, in relating the
story Of the marriage, was \ very hand
some fellow, but | guess that's about
all there Was in him.
ne AlNAlti NAAAEA Nt1NA -AA% 1ettNA
{, the Executive Mansion and left his
bride Al the door. going 20 his own
quarters presumably TO let The storm
blow over. But the storm never dad
blow over. The Governor, a. was 10
have been expected, was in towering
rage when he was told BY his daughter
whst she had done. The young lady
vas hurried of 90 = bo2rding-sohool
and out Of reach, and negotiations
were begun with the husband - get
him out q the way As vel. Governor
Curtins political power a. that ame
was greater probably than that Of any
man in the STATE, and means we're
found 70 induce the young and daring
CAPTAIN 20 leave the State and make
no claims upon his wife. whc, be was
told, had repented Of her marriage and
didr' Z care 10 Sc him any more. Ina
few dAyS the Captain lelt Harrisburg
and was lost sight Of BY his trinGds
here Hasuhssquentty became United
ssates Marshal n The West where Re
roW hves-
Whether the young bride protested
.raiust the summary way IN which she
vas snatched from her husbands arms
is matter a e0niecture. but i vas